A Comprehensive Approach for Habitat Restoration in the Columbia Basin

Abstract

The Columbia Basin once supported a diversity of native fishes and large runs of anadromous salmonids that sustained substantial fisheries and cultural values. Extensive land conversion, watershed disruptions, and subsequent fishery declines have led to one of the most ambitious restoration programs in the world. Progress has been made, but restoration is expensive (exceeding US$300M/year), and it remains unclear whether habitat actions, in particular, can be successful. A comprehensive approach is needed to guide cost‐effective habitat restoration. Four elements that must be addressed simultaneously are (1) a scientific foundation from landscape ecology and the concept of resilience, (2) broad public support, (3) governance for collaboration and integration, and (4) a capacity for learning and adaptation. Realizing these in the Columbia Basin will require actions to rebalance restoration goals to include diversity, strengthen linkages between science and management, increase public engagement, work across traditional ecological and social boundaries, and learn from experience.

Restoring fire-prone Inland Pacific landscapes: seven core principles

“…12). Disparate and contradictory goals across land allocations and ownerships create untenable management situations (Rieman et al 2015). For Values in bold typeface indicate a significant reduction.…”

Conservation of Native Pacific Trout Diversity in Western North America

“…Strengthening the relationships among science, management, and the public at large is necessary, along with increasing flexibility in management, restoring the diversity of Pacific trout, and considering social factors that increase their vulnerability (Frissell et al 1997;Rieman et al 2015). Advancing the understanding of the evolutionary diversity and distribution of Pacific trout in western North America, especially in northern Mexico, and for both O. clarkii and O. mykiss will be necessary to fully describe and formally designate lineages, subspecies, and species of Pacific trout, thereby elevating their importance and scientific significance.…”

“…Past efforts to mitigate the negative consequences of a legacy of land and water use activities on Pacific trout have focused on degradation, loss, and fragmentation of habitats in areas where human population densities are relatively low (Rieman et al 2015). It is clear, however, that rapidly increasing human populations and related urbanization of landscapes is a threat to Pacific trout (Feist et al 2011;Hughes et al 2014).…”

“…Likewise, adaptive management allows experimentation with approaches and management to adjust in the face of future uncertainty (Folke et al 2005;Huitema et al 2009). Ultimately, these conservation approaches warrant an inclusion of a human dimension that enables social learning (Rieman et al 2015) and builds collaboration and appreciation for native Pacific trout (Behnke 2002).…”

Aquatic biodiversity in forests: a weak link in ecosystem services resilience

“…For example, across the Northeast Pacific Rim forests, vertebrate species richness of streams may be considered relatively low, but the within-taxon diversity of genetic, phenotypic, and life-history forms is relatively high among species, especially of Pacific salmon and trout (Oncorhynchus spp.) (Rieman et al 2015). Pacific salmon and trout have flexible spawning-run timing that varies by stream, resulting in life-history diversity that supports persistence in a heterogeneous landscape prone to broad-scale natural disturbance events.…”